NATIONAL DIALOGUE: YAKASAI, GRAHAM DOUGLAS, ATTAH MEET IN LAGOS

Presidential Adviser to former President Shehu Shagari, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai joined scores of other prominent Nigerians who met in Lagos and called on the Federal Government to put in place the necessary machinery for the convocation of a national dialogue.

Others, who met under the umbrella of the National Steering Committee of the National Summit Group, also included two former Ministers, Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas (Petroleum), Chief John Nwodo (Information); former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Obong Victor Attah and founder of the O'odua Peoples Congress (OPC), Dr. Frederick Fasheun.

Though the group promised to brief the media on the modus for the convocation of the conference, those who spoke at the start of the meeting held in Ikeja, Lagos were unanimous in their call and warned government against further delay if the country was to witness peace and progress.

In his submission, Yakassai who spoke on behalf of the North West, threw his weight behind the convocation of a national dialogue but pointed out that it must be done in conformity with the 1999 Constitution just as he maintained that the country has a lot to gain if the conference was put in place.

While expressing the readiness of North West to take part in the dialogue, he said 'We are in support of a national dialogue; we welcome a national dialogue because Nigeria has everything to gain from it.'

Picking holes in the current constitution, Fasehun, who spoke for the South West geo-political zone advocated for what he termed 'a Peoples Constitution', and said 'You cannot continue to operate on a defective constitution. Nigeria cannot continue to operate a constitution put together by a few people in the military.